Rory Stewart on Trump, Nationalism and The Value of Rural Life (Part One) episode artwork

EPISODE · Dec 10, 2025 · 35 MIN

Rory Stewart on Trump, Nationalism and The Value of Rural Life (Part One)

from Intelligence Squared · host Intelligence Squared

Over the course of a decade in politics Rory Stewart saw how power really works and what forces drive our communities apart. He was a backbench MP, held several ministerial positions, and stood for prime minister – before being sacked from a Conservative Party that he had come to barely recognise. Now, well away from the political arena, he regularly shares his insights into current affairs and global politics as co-host of the UK’s leading political podcast, The Rest Is Politics. In October he came to Intelligence Squared to discuss the state of Britain and the world today. He drew from his new book 'Middleland: Dispatches from the Borders' to discuss his decade as MP of one of Britain’s most rural constituencies, Penrith and The Border. And he argued that to truly create a better future for all we must understand the tensions that exist between rural and urban, between farming and the natural world, between the need to preserve and to grow, and between local and national politics. Bridges must – and can – be built, he argued. The event was hosted by former MP and author Caroline Lucas. You can find out more about her book Another England: Reclaiming Our National Story here: https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/453710/another-england-by-lucas-caroline/9781804941591 --- This is the first instalment of a two-part episode. If you'd like to become a Member and get access to all our full ad free conversations, plus all of our Members-only content, just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more. For £4.99 per month you'll also receive: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared episodes, wherever you get your podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series - 15% discount on livestreams and in-person tickets for all Intelligence Squared events  ...  Or Subscribe on Apple for £4.99: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series … Already a subscriber? Thank you for supporting our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations! Visit intelligencesquared.com to explore all your benefits including ad-free podcasts, exclusive bonus content and early access. … Subscribe to our newsletter here to hear about our latest events, discounts and much more. https://www.intelligencesquared.com/newsletter-signup/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Dec 10, 2025

Embed this episode

NOW PLAYING

Rory Stewart on Trump, Nationalism and The Value of Rural Life (Part One)

0:00 35:19

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

No similar episodes found.

No similar podcasts found.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of Intelligence Squared?

This episode is 35 minutes long.

When was this Intelligence Squared episode published?

This episode was published on December 10, 2025.

Can I download this Intelligence Squared episode?

Yes. Use the download control on the episode player to save the publisher-provided media file.
URL copied to clipboard!